Thursday, November 28, 2019

Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure Essay Example

Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure? Essay There are two opposing points of view presented by Robert C. Solomon and Gilbert Harman on the question of ‘Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure?’ The two views can be loosely classified as pitting ‘determinism’ against ‘freewill’. Robert Solomon argues that â€Å"whatever the structures, the individual’s choice is free, and therefore his character or virtue is of the utmost importance in creating a good moral tone in the life of a business.† Gilbert Harman, on the other hand, â€Å"employs determinist arguments to conclude that no individual can of his own free choice make a difference in a group enterprise†. (Newton, et. al., 2011, p.60) Robert Solomon objects to the deterministic standpoint, by noting how there is an evasion of ‘responsibility’ by both corporations and its managers for their actions. When corporate executives cite ‘market forces’ as ‘compelling external circumstances’ that hinder sovereignty in their decision making, they are merely exposing their lack of leadership skills. Moreover, as Solomon points, workers in corporations â€Å"tend to behave in conformity with the people and expectations that surround them, even when what they are told to do violates their ‘personal morality’.† (Newton, et. al., 2011, p.63) In many ways, what are considered as meritorious within the confines of a corporation is usually seen as vices outside this realm. For example, qualities such as the tendency to blindly obey authority, act in unison with the crown and refusing to take personal responsibility for broader consequences have no value outside the corpo rate framework. Solomon then goes on to cite eminent philosophers from the past, including Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill and David Hume in emphasizing the importance of individual character and virtue. He even refers to ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Confucius to underscore his point. Although these philosophers lived before the industrial era, their ideas hold good across contexts, for they do address the merits of holding firm in the face of ‘external’ compulsions and authorities. In the modern context, the dominant institution for authority and conformity is the business corporation. But the preoccupation of these philosophers is not only whether individual virtue ‘can’ survive external pressure, but also whether it should. And to this question they answer largely in the affirmative. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Can Individual Virtue Survive Corporate Pressure? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer What Robert Solomon is able to do is present a brand of virtue ethics that adapts the most enduring aspects of empiricism (with its emphasis on character) with more recent insights offered by the social sciences. Hence a viable compromise between agency and environment can be achieved, whereby, a theoretical and practical model of character can be drawn â€Å"that emphasizes dynamic interaction both in the formation and in the interplay between personal agency and responsibility on the one hand and social pressures and the environment on the other†. (Newton, et. al., 2011, p.63) Gilbert Harman essays a thorough rebuttal to Robert Solomon’s thesis. Harman’s major objections are toward Solomon’s underestimation of the empirical threat to virtue ethics, and â€Å"his a priori claim that empirical research cannot overturn our ordinary moral psychology is overstated†. (Newton, et. al., 2011, p.77) Harman also notes an attribution error in Solomon’s argument, in that, the latter overplays seemingly obvious differences in character traits between people. Harman also questions the adaptability and relevance of the Milgram, Darley and Batson experiments, upon whose results Solomon constructs most of his analysis. As Harman succinctly concludes his essay, â€Å"Aristotelian style virtue ethics shares with folk psychology a commitment to broad-based character traits of a sort that people simply do not have. This does not threaten free will and moral responsibility, but it does mean that it is a mistake to base business ethics on that sort of virtue ethics.† (Newton, et. al., 2011, p.83) Despite this pessimism with the existing corporate structures, Harman ends on an optimistic note by allowing for the possibility of a model of virtue ethics in which virtuous behavior is socially supported and sustained. Having scrutinized the presentation of both the authors, I am inclined to agree with Gilbert Harman when compared to Robert Solomon. It is difficult to imagine how individuals can assert their personal moral values and virtues in a corporate environment that has a distinctly limited vision and goal – mostly economic. The term ‘economic’ is the key here, for it is the most compelling reason why the discourse of personal virtue ethics is not compatible with business goals. Business corporations are economic institutions, whose major purpose is to garner short-term profit. It celebrates the principle of ‘Greed is good’ with no hint of embarrassment. In this milieu, a worker will have to leave out his individual framework of morality when he enters the premises of a corporation. Even the sense in which business corporations view human beings – resources and commodities fetched from the labor market – makes it highly incongruent with morality in the conventional sense. The ‘market’ is much hailed by the political system and is promoted as a mechanism through which industrial production is increased and quality of our lives enhanced. But it also corrupts an individual’s character due to a reward system that works by way of benefiting those who ‘beat the system’. This was alluded to by Karl Marx when he talked about the commoditization of labor. Marx had â€Å"insight into this process. In an era in which the market is virtually deified, we need to understand how insidiously it eats away at our humanity and transforms us into caricatures of human beings.† (Carson, 1995)

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Beverage Industry

The Non-Alcholic Beverages Industry: Improvement of Resource Efficiency and Environmental Performance Non-alcoholic beverages include milk, juices of fruits and vegetables, and carbonated and uncarbonated soft drinks. Milk and the dairy industry are covered separately under Food Processing. The primary environmental aspects of these industries involve water use and wastewater discharge from products and washing, chemical use in cleaning, and management of scrap and solid waste. The most significant environmental impacts in this industry are from water pollution and packaging disposal. There are many technical reports on treatment of wastewater from beverage production. There are relatively few reports on cleaner production available. Primary solutions include process measurement and control, water recycling, chemical substitution and reduction, energy efficiency, and new product development using waste materials. The industry associations and leading companies provide extensive information on their packaging including use of environmentally improved designs, recycling systems and technologies. The Food Processing document has many general resources for the food and beverage industry that should be consulted for solutions for the beverage industry. The table below lists solutions to reduce waste and pollution in non-alcoholic beverage production. Company environmental programs should demonstrate that these options have been considered thoroughly. Direct links to online guides to pollution prevention follow the table. Solutions to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste in Beverage Production Companies raw materials cleaning: consider alternatives to batchwise bath immersion such as: - water recycling/reuse - spray washing - countercurrent washing cleaning of equipment consider: - non-stick surfaces to reduce contamination - dry cleaning before water washing - automatic detection of product/water interfaces - effective s... Free Essays on Beverage Industry Free Essays on Beverage Industry The Non-Alcholic Beverages Industry: Improvement of Resource Efficiency and Environmental Performance Non-alcoholic beverages include milk, juices of fruits and vegetables, and carbonated and uncarbonated soft drinks. Milk and the dairy industry are covered separately under Food Processing. The primary environmental aspects of these industries involve water use and wastewater discharge from products and washing, chemical use in cleaning, and management of scrap and solid waste. The most significant environmental impacts in this industry are from water pollution and packaging disposal. There are many technical reports on treatment of wastewater from beverage production. There are relatively few reports on cleaner production available. Primary solutions include process measurement and control, water recycling, chemical substitution and reduction, energy efficiency, and new product development using waste materials. The industry associations and leading companies provide extensive information on their packaging including use of environmentally improved designs, recycling systems and technologies. The Food Processing document has many general resources for the food and beverage industry that should be consulted for solutions for the beverage industry. The table below lists solutions to reduce waste and pollution in non-alcoholic beverage production. Company environmental programs should demonstrate that these options have been considered thoroughly. Direct links to online guides to pollution prevention follow the table. Solutions to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste in Beverage Production Companies raw materials cleaning: consider alternatives to batchwise bath immersion such as: - water recycling/reuse - spray washing - countercurrent washing cleaning of equipment consider: - non-stick surfaces to reduce contamination - dry cleaning before water washing - automatic detection of product/water interfaces - effective s...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ecosystems in South West Australia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ecosystems in South West Australia - Assignment Example Climate change directly influences the rate of NPP and carbon storage. Drier and warmer climate results in undesirable parameters such as UV radiation, tropospheric and biotic factors that result in reduction in carbon storage in plant parts. Shifts in precipitation and temperature result in the conversion of soil carbon to CO2; therefore, carbon storage is decreased. Shifts in the disturbance regime also influence carbon availability in the ecosystem. Disturbances from wildfires, back beetles, and wind reduce carbon availability and t6he net primary production of other nutrients (Bernard, Leadley and Hungate, 2005). Question Two Mineralization is an important process in the long-term manufacture of nutrients required by plants for growth. Elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere stimulate biomass production, increased litter fall, and rhizodeposition. The delivery of labile organic matter increases and in turn, influences the deposition of soil microorganisms that enhance nutrient availability and carbon storage. An increase in the net carbon input in the soil causes decreased nitrogen mineralization, and subsequently increases temporarily immobilized nitrogen as well as carbon sequestration. The result of mineralization is the long-term immobilization of atmospheric nitrogen (Bernard, Leadley, and Hungate, 2005). Nutrient cycling is a highly localized process that involves exchanges between plants and soil in ecosystems.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Potential Effects of a Large Earthquake Essay

The Potential Effects of a Large Earthquake - Essay Example The essay "The potential effects of a large earthquake" discusses the possible areas to move in, their main good and disruptive factors. Earthquake hazard mapping is mainly used in California in efforts to ensure that there is effective land use. There has been an awareness on seismic safety to both public and private investors to prevent building or occupying areas with active faults. The first location we are discussing is 3700 Perie lane, San Jose which is near San Andrea’s faults. The information which is going to guide us in understanding better the area and its activities based on maps and geotechnical data from geological investigations, technical reports and reports from the geological survey regarding earthquakes and liquefaction potential brought about by landslide zones. The stability of the 3700 Perie lane, San Jose is mainly affected by the material type, vegetation cover, inclination and moisture content. There are numerous types of landslides in the area of San Jose and the major one in this area is the rock slide, translational and rotational, earth slide, complex slides, earth slides, debris slides and rock fall. Different Zones along Perie |lane, San Jose are high influenced by either geological or soil conditions which have a great impact on the development of the area. This city is well known as the most active in earthquakes and tsunamis by seismologist and geologist. A regular occurrence of Tsunamis along San Andrea Faults is associated with the crustal movement along the active fault zones.

Monday, November 18, 2019

My experience with writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My experience with writing - Essay Example An English writer will always prefer writing in English where as a person like me whose native language is Arabic, like to write in Arabic only. It will be difficult for me to write in English or Hindi. Why writers prefer their own native language for writing? Children in my country learn to write at the age of 6. In fact I acquired the writing skill little bit later at the age of 7. My father was an expert in writing newspaper articles and some of my uncles were fond of writing poems. I started writing poems at the age of 14 and one of my teachers has encouraged me a lot in writing poems. I was comfortable in writing poems in Arabic. But it was not easy for me to write the poems in English. One of my poems which were translated to English with the help of one my friends is given below. Writing requires lot of knowledge and also lot of in depth analysis. Since I am comfortable with the Arabic literature available in my country, I will be more interested in writing in Arabic rather than in English. If I want to express my ideas or opinion about a topic then I will get the suitable words from Arabic language only because of my lack of awareness about English language. Of course I agree that since English is an international language, it may have better words or expressive vocabularies than Arabic. But because of my lack of awareness about such big words from English, I may not be able to express my ideas, opinions or suggestions properly in English. Writing in own language provides ample freedom in selecting the words or vocabularies. The meaning of the words must be well understandable to the readers. I am confident of making the Arab people aware of my views through my literature like poems. But I am not sure how other people from a different country or region perceive my language. Though language will never prevent me from expressing my views internationally, I am not sure whether people from other countries will enjoy my

Friday, November 15, 2019

Integrating ICT in Teaching and Learning

Integrating ICT in Teaching and Learning Information and Communications Technology commonly termed as ICT comes from the acronym IT and CT and refers to methods of storing, manipulating and communicating information. Information Technology (IT), as defined by the Smart Computing Dictionary, is A general term used to describe any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, or disseminate information. IT refers to the most expensive, complex computers, with devices usually dealing with electronic data in binary format. However, these IT machines are not able to communicate with one another. And, Communication Technology (CT) is the term used to describe telecommunications equipment through which information can be sought and accessed. (New Zealand MOE, 1998). Examples include: video conferencing, teleconference phones, and modems. Globally, educational systems are adopting new technologies to integrate ICT in the teaching and learning process, to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need in their subject matter. In this way the teaching profession is evolving from teacher-centered to student-centered learning environments. ICT integration is understood as the usage of technology seamlessly for educational processes like transacting curricular content and students working on technology to do authentic tasks (Kainth and Kaur). Nowadays ICT facilitate not only the delivery of lessons but also the learning process itself. This includes computer based technologies, digital imaging, the internet, file servers, data storage devices, network infrastructure, desktops, laptops and broadcasting technologies namely radio and television, and telephone which are used as instructional tools at schools. INTEGRATING ICT IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS In Mauritius government has spent tremendously to promote ICT integration in teaching and learning. Is it worth investing so much money? What advantages do ICT have in education? Many researchers have given their view points about the advantages and how ICT can be integrated in curriculum. Allen (1997) believed that the basic skills of the future are the use of powerful technologies. The traditional textbook can no longer fulfill the need in the rapid changing and the information-explosion world. He asserted that the traditional teacher-centered approach makes classroom no longer an effective system to prepare students for the realities which they face in the near future. Parmley et al. (1997) stated that technology works best as a supporting tool-making complex processes or creative experience either possible or easier to accomplish. He thought that technology can offer new ways to provide meaningful, real-life context for learning, it also allow students to collaborate with peers and experts across the country and around the World. Rosener (1997) described IT as good as, or even better than, traditional method of teaching and learning as it being limitless of time and space. Poole (1998) pointed out that suitably integrated computer use can contribute to successful results in the classroom as to: support teaching and learning, support childrens socialisation, enable children with disabilities to integrate and enables a teacher to duplicate excellence. According to Kennewell et al. (2000), integration of ICT in teaching requires understanding at a deeper level to facilitate the development of strategies and process to identify opportunities, solve problems and evaluate solution. They believe that these higher-level objectives require not only technical knowledge and skills, but the ability to choose an effective strategy for a problem. Poole (1998) shared his view that the technology is only a tool to both teacher and student. The effectiveness of the tool depends entirely on the skills they bring to the learning process. He believed that the teachers task is thus to nurture the students willingness to learn. Gregoire et al (1996) provided the following important points in respecting student learning in analysing that the contribution new technologies can make to teaching and learning: New technologies stimulate the development of intellectual skills New technologies contribute to the ways of learning knowledge, skills and attitudes, but still dependent on pre-requisite knowledge and type of learning activity. New technologies spur spontaneous interest more than traditional approaches of learning. Students using new technologies concentrate more than those in traditional settings Moreover the above outlined points are balanced by further genuine observations: Benefits of ICT for students are greatly dependent on the technological skills of the teachers and their attitudes towards technology. Skill and attitude in turn are largely dependent on the staff training in this area. (UNESCO Paris, 2002). 2.2.1 Impact of ICT on education In educational context, ICT has the potential to increase access to education and improve its relevance and quality. Tinio (2002) asserted that ICT has a tremendous impact on education in terms of acquisition and absorption of knowledge to both teachers and students through the promotion of: Active learning: ICT tools help for the calculation and analysis of information obtained for examination and also students performance report are all being computerised and made easily available for inquiry. In contrast to memorisation-based or rote learning, ICT promotes learner engagement as learners choose what to learn at their own pace and work on real life situations problems. Collaborative and Cooperative learning: ICT encourages interaction and cooperation among students, teachers regardless of distance which is between them. It also provides students the chance to work with people from different cultures and working together in groups, hence help students to enhance their communicative skills as well as their global awareness. Researchers have found that typically the use of ICT leads to more cooperation among learners within and beyond school and there exists a more interactive relationship between students and teachers (Grà ©goire et al., 1996). Collaboration is a philosophy of interaction and personal lifestyle where individuals are responsible for their actions, including learning and respect the abilities and contributions of their peers. (Panitz, 1996). Creative Learning: ICT promotes the manipulation of existing information and to create ones own knowledge to produce a tangible product or a given instructional purpose. Integrative learning: ICT promotes an integrative approach to teaching and learning, by eliminating the synthetic separation between theory and practice unlike in the traditional classroom where emphasis encloses just a particular aspect. Evaluative learning: Use of ICT for learning is student-centered and provides useful feedback through various interactive features. ICT allow students to discover and learn through new ways of teaching and learning which are sustained by constructivist theories of learning rather than students do memorisation and rote learning. And a mentioned in Teaching of ICT by MIE/IGNOU (2005), improvements in telecommunication technologies can lead education to provide more independence to teachers and students by: Better use of learning resources- a presentation once made through use of technologies can be showed to students over and over again. Motivating to learn-ICTs combine text, sound, and colourful, moving images that increase learners motivation and their interest to learn. Facilitating the acquisition of basic concepts that are the foundation for higher order concepts and creativity can be facilitated through drill and practice as repetition and reinforcement of content and skills are being focused. Aspect Less traditional pedagogy More emerging pedagogy for the information society Active Activities prescribed by teacher Whole class instruction Little variation in activities Pace determined by the programme Small groups Activities determined by learners Many different activities Pace determined by learners Collaborative Individual Homogenous groups Everyone for him/herself Working in teams Heterogeneous groups Supporting each other Creative Reproductive learning Apply known solutions to problems Productive learning Find new solutions to problems Integrative No link between theory and practice Separate subjects Discipline-based Individual teachers Integrating theory and practice Relations between subjects Teams of teachers Thematic Evaluative Teacher-directed Summative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Student-directed DiagnosticTable 2.2.1 Overview of Pedagogy in the Industrial versus the Information Society While theoretical arguments can be put forward to provide a strong rationale for the use of ICT in enhancing the teaching and learning process, the only real rationale is based on whether, in practice, it has a positive impact on learning, the learners, and teachers (Newhouse, 2002). learning environment entities and external entities. IMPACT OF ICT ON LEARNERS ICT has very strong effect in education and it provides enormous tools for enhancing teaching and learning. There have been many studies that have highlighted the various ways that ICT may support teaching and learning processes in a range of disciplinary fields such as the construction of new opportunities for interaction between students and knowledge and accessing information. ICT enable new ways teaching and learning when used appropriately under right conditions such as suitable resources, training and support. ICT also offers the potential to meet the learning needs of individual students, to promote equal opportunity, to offer learning material, and also promote interdependence of learning among learners (Leach, Ahmed, Makalima Power, 2005). The five ways to establish and sustain effective learning environments through ICT suggested by the Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning (2000) are: 1. Real world problems 2. Scaffolding 3. Feedback, reflection and guidance 4. Local and global communities 5. Extending teacher learning. (Newhouse, 2002) IMPACT OF ICT ON TEACHERS Roblyer and Edwards (2000) suggested that there are five important reasons for teachers to use technology in education: (1) Motivation; (2) Distinctive instructional abilities; (3) Higher productivity of teachers; (4) Essential skills for the Information Age and (5) Support for new teaching techniques (Samak, 2006). In order to make use of technology in the classroom effectively, educators should have a positive attitude toward technology and they should be trained in using the modern technologies in their respective field of education. Chin and Hortin (1994) stated that teachers must act as the change agent in the relationship between technology and the students as teachers are more likely to implement the recommended and proposed changes concerning ICT in education. But at the same time there are many challenges faced by educators as they consider how best to best incorporate ICT tools into their teaching. This is being discussed in the following article. 2.4.1 Factors affecting technology integration in Teaching and Learning I. Jung talks about the enormous challenge teachers are facing in our society due to the rapid expansion of knowledge. The modern technologies are demanding that teachers learn how to use these technologies in their teaching. Hence these new technologies increase the teachers training needs. Gressard and Loyd (1985) asserted that teachers attitudes toward computers are a key factor in the successful implementation of ICT in education. They pointed out that teachers do not always have positive attitudes towards computers and their poor attitudes may lead to a failure of the computer- based projects. Also the most commonly cited barriers are: lack of time; lack of access; lack of resources; lack of expertise and lack of support (Butler and Sellbom, 2002, Leggettt Persichitte, 1998). Another barrier given by Butler and Sellbom (2002) and Chizmar Williams (2001) is reliability. Reliability included hardware failures, incompatible software between home and school, poor or slow internet connectivity and out of date software which are available mostly at school while the students/educators are having more up-to-date software at home. SUBJECT DIFFERENCE IN ICT INTEGRATION Subject being taught is also a factor influencing the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process. In general, science teachers have more positive attitudes towards ICT and possess a higher level of computer literacy knowledge than other teachers such as Arts, Humanities and Commerce. Law et al (2000) believe that they used ICT in their teaching more frequently. Rosener (1997) sated that the use of IT should be used when they provide more opportunities for students to visualise and understand study materials. In areas where the subject matter focuses more on value, meaning and philosophical ideas, IT will only partially be able to substitute for human interaction. However, in areas which have a high volume of students studying the subject like the sciences which constitute of a standardised curriculum and factual content, it will more likely be able to supplement the content and teaching methods with use of ICT. ICT AND MATHEMATICS There are many potential uses for computers in the teaching and learning process of mathematics. According to Oldknow and Taylor (2000), the role of ICT in the teaching and learning process of mathematics are as follows: In terms of teachers, the use of ICT:- Improves their efficiency Reduces their administrative burden since less paperwork Releases more time to address students individually Provides better records of students progress Acts as a stimulus to rethinking their approach to their mathematics teaching Acts as a stimulus to rethinking their understanding of mathematics Acts as a means to communicate with other teachers sharing the common problems. The use of ICT makes students:- Engage their attention and motivate them Stimulate their curiosity Encourage them to develop their problem-solving strategies Provide models and images which aid them in concept formation Improve their test and examination results since they learn by own pace and learn through feedback provided to them. Mathematics lessons are associated with real life situations and increases the relevancy of the lessons to the real world. The curriculum needs to be updated continually to take account of the technology prevalent in society. Mathematics has tended to be very abstract while most students tend to operate on a concrete level. The use of concrete materials in some lessons is useful but often not convenient. The computer can provide experiences with virtual concrete materials. In approaching problems associated with remedial and extension students computer use can provide appropriate material and overcome classroom management problems. In 1995 the National Council for Educational Technology published a leaflet in which are included the six opportunities students can enhance their mathematics learning through the use of ICT: Learning from feedback: Fast and reliable feedback is provided which encourages students to make their own judgements and to test out and work over their ideas. Observing patterns: The use of computers and electronic calculators enables students to practice as many examples as possible when working out mathematical problems. This chains their study of patterns. Seeing connections: With use of ICT graphs and related formulae and tables of numbers are readily linked. Changing one value probes them to see the immediate effects in the other variables thus helps students to understand the connections between them. Working with dynamic images: Students can make use of IT to manipulate diagrams. This encourages them to visualise the change of geometry when using the required software and this develops their reasoning skills. Exploring data: With the use of IT students get the opportunity to work with real data which can be represented in a variety of ways, which supports explanation and analysis. Teaching the computer: When students design algorithm to achieve a particular result, they are required to express their commands clearly and in the correct order thus developing their thinking skills. These listed opportunities are applicable with the existence of ICT tools that can help students in their mathematics learning and teachers can map those mentioned opportunities with the various types of ICT tools (including both software and hardware), from the guide ICT and Mathematics, for instance Hand-held technology use numerical and graphing features of graphical calculators with data-loggers Programming languages use Logo Small software in the form of games and simulations. Spreadsheets set up a basic spreadsheet to enter data and replicate formulae- use of advance facilities of like statistical graphing Web-sites explore web-based resources related to mathematics teaching. Whiteboards use of electronic whiteboards for whole-class teaching, using OHPs. General purpose software Microsoft Office package such as Excel, Word, Explorer and PowerPoint. Mathematics teaching software dynamic geometry software(for constructions and transformations e.g. for coordinates, measures) and interactive package including graph-plotting using Graph-plotters, data-handling (database or statistical software), symbolic algebra. E-learning- For e.g.Xerte (open source e-learning) is an interactive program and a fully-featured e-learning development for creating rich interactive environment. An example is taken from the guide ICT and Mathematics on the dynamic geometry software. This can help students arrive at a convincing proof. Figure 2.6: Geometry Software The software is used to see the sights of the relationship between the areas of quadrilaterals and the areas of the figures formed by joining their midpoints. The two areas appear to be equal, but clearer seen by dragging A,B,C or D about through the software. So formulating a speculation that the area of EFGH is always half that of ABCD EFGH always appears to be a parallelogram or by adding a diagonal BD, might suggest geometric relationships from which students can arrive at a convincing proof. As mentioned in the leaflet from Mathematics and IT a pupils entitlement in the guide ICT and Mathematics: As the technology progresses and becomes more prevalent, teachers will also need to be continually reconsidering the mathematical content of their teaching. Having software which can, for example, solve systems of equations at the touch of a button has strong implications for the way particular topics are approached. One vital aspect of the widespread availability of ICT tools and easy access to resources of mathematical information through the Internet is that they can enable us to keep in touch with developments prevailing around the world for Mathematics. The four key concepts, highlighted in the ICT in mathematics (DfES, 2004), that are noteworthy for mathematics are: using data and information sources; organising and investigating; analysing and automating processes; models and modelling. How can the use of ICT raise standards in mathematics? (DfES, 2004) ICT can be used as a tool: to support teachers in teaching an objective more effectively, in improving lesson design and improving teaching and learning; to enable pupils to engage with learning and to be motivated to improve their learning; to enable pupils to access geometrical, graphical and statistical ideas dynamically and so to make connections in their learning; to build pupils confidence in their mathematical abilities by testing their conjectures, learning from feedback and using reasoning to modify their solutions. Students learning mathematics most benefit from the use of ICT in areas such as: the teacher using an interactive or electronic whiteboard for starters and plenaries; the teacher using an electronic whiteboard for interactive teaching in the main part of the lesson; using generic software such as databases or spreadsheets as a means of making sense of data; using content-free, mathematics-specific software on computers or graphical calculators to aid visualisation and help make connections in algebra and geometry; using simple programming languages, such as LOGO, to build increasingly complex mathematical models and relationships in shape and space, number and algebra; using content-specific software, usually targeting specific mathematical skills; processing and interpreting experimental information from data-loggers; using information resources such as the Internet, CD-ROMs or data files. E-Learning E-Learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. (Wikipedia). It can use an information network or even no network necessary for the lessons delivery and interaction. It can also be termed as term online learning. Tinio mentioned that Web-based learning is a subset of e-learning and refers to learning using an Internet browser (such as Netscape or Internet Explorer). Figure 2.6.2: E-Learning 2.6.3 Blended Learning Another learning model which is evolving in our educational system is blended learning. This refers to combining traditional classroom methods with e-learning solutions. For example, students in a traditional class can be assigned with printed copies and also online materials through an educational program and even have online monitoring sessions with their teachers through the chat. Blended learning is a supplement to traditional delivery methods in class to support face-to-face lessons. (Tinio). Blending learning can be an online or offline process. 2.6.4 Open Source E Learning Like any teaching styles, e-learning requires a variety of resources to be run effectively. (Tinio).So there are many interactive packages which can be of great use and they are free software packages and of good use to educators since they help to add plain text, images, videos, drawings and other interactivities to their teaching and also various types of questions are included like: true/false multiple choice matching fill in the blank calculations When the student clicks on the submit button, they get their feedback directly and can have repetition of the work if need is. Thus e-learning can be beneficial to educators in the following ways as described by the University of Nottingham: E-learning is delivered through blended learning to supplement traditional learning methods. E-learning can cover a large or small part of a lesson, having already the necessary materials that can be converted into e-learning. Any use of technology to support the teaching and learning process can be described as e-learning. Help to manage and organise lessons materials in a more effective and efficient way Reduction of administrative tasks, for example printed materials and marking tests Enable educators to monitor student involvement and progress and offer support and advice promptly and make effective use of teacher-student contact time Widen communication opportunities with students Help the change in educators role from knowledge provider to learning facilitator Encourage the development of flexible learning materials. The University of Nottingham stated that in terms of students, e-learning: Encourage flexibility of access to lesson materials- anytime, anywhere Provide self-responsibility for learning and allow students to learn at their own pace and to keep track of their progress Enhance student participation while encouraging less confident students to take part Encourage student engagement when using interactive learning materials and improve students motivation and satisfaction and facilitate understanding of the subject matter Promote communication with educators Promote peer support as there is more interaction between the students Help in the preparation of upcoming topics and revision of preceding lessons Increase the accessibility of information and lesson materials to students with low abilities in the subject matter.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Richard III as a Successful Politician Essay -- Papers

Richard III as a Successful Politician Shakespeare's Richard III is set in England after the War of the Roses. Richard, the megalomanic eponymous character, is desperate for the throne of England. He tells us that he seeks the crown to compensate for his deformity (he was a hunchback from birth). Richard has his own brother killed and later has former allies and those who still stood in his way killed also. When Richard eventually gains the throne he finds his conscience and begins to feel insecure, he has the two Princes he has locked away killed. Nobles are horrified by his actions and establish a rebel force lead by Richmond. During the Battle of Bosworth FieldRichard is defeated and killed in hand to hand combat with Richmond, who then takes the throne and becomes King of England. The word 'political' can have more than one meaning. The Oxford English Dictionary has a few definitions of political and politician: 1. Of, relating to, or dealing with the structure or affairs of government, politics, or the state. 2. Relating to, involving, or characteristic of politics or politicians: 3. Interested or active in politics. 4. Having or influenced by partisan interests: The court should never become a political institution. 5. Based on or motivated by partisan or self-serving objectives: a purely political decision. 1. One who is actively involved in politics, especially party politics. 2. One who seeks personal or partisan gain, often by scheming and by manoeuvring Richard has shown several of these characteristics and so can be described as a political character.... ...d, therefore, that Richard was not a success as he was killed although he failed militarily rather than politically and had succeeded up to that point. As Richard failed as a soldier, he could still be called a successful politician. Political could also mean artful, ingenious, unscrupulous and cunning all of which can be applied to Richard at some point during the play. Richard is sly and gets away with treason, a crime punishable with death, he manages to put the blame on other people and avoid punishment himself. This could be considered successful, as he was never caught. Going back to the criteria for a politician it can be said that Richard is definitely a politician "one who seeks personal or partisan gain, often by scheming and by manoeuvring" but it is difficult to say whether he was successful or not.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Leadership style Essay

The most successful leaders are those that have strong communication and interpersonal skills and fearless in bring about organization growth. Leadership means you have the ability to obtain followers by earning; loyalty, admiration, trust, respect, demonstrates courage and integrity, most important have a vision that is obtainable and vivid to others. Elevating and transcend people to a higher level of thinking brings about strong organizational infrastructure. This paper will review a historical leader and how he moved this country forward in a time of unrest. Dr. Martin Luther Jr was a transformational leader, not only in the African American community but all over the world. Leadership Style Dr. King had a vision that he was commitment to that transformed this country in a positive manner and changed people ways of thinking. Transformational leadership is a style of leading people by motivating, and transcending ones thinking to a great level, in addition his behaviors demonstrated his personal beliefs, courage, and away of inspiring others to reach goals and see themselves in a greater place. Successful Leader Dr. King was a great communicator along with being an active listener, not to mention he was able to articulate a vision and mission that could be attain, also emphasizing risks, challenges and his willingness to lead his follower by example in hopes of reaching goals together as a country. His inspirational speeches appealed to millions of people at every walk of life: rich and poor, black and white, as well as people in other countries. In being a great leader, he was able to being about racial equality and civil rights for humanity. He also received the Nobel Peace Prizes and his great leadership brought about a national holiday as part of his legacy. Comparison In perusing my degree, I understand the important of having strong leadership skills but also realizing the important of being people focused, as well. In completing the leadership assessment test, I was able to identify areas in which to work on, such as stimulating my team to establish an ongoing process to evaluate work progress, encourage develop of mechanisms of support and socialization which I need to research a little more for clarity. My score was high which identify to me the fundamental skills are present, but more development is needed. Out of all the leadership style that was looked at I would be a great transformational style of leader, because of the ability to influences, stimulate once intellect, and last bring about confidence in others. It is in my DNA I am a people person, granted leadership requires a level of authority, however, pointing out the fact that incorporating my strong communication and interpersonal skills will allow me to hear the needs of others, un derstanding the culture of the organization, yet encourage creativity, create an environment of positive outcomes and empower others to grow. Dr. King communicated nonviolence, showed humility, and not threaten to mentor other good leader to be better, clearly Dr. King accomplished historical goals because he was able to illustrate great leadership skills. Dr. King also believed in listening for others concerns and rights to undertake ways of bring positive outcomes through addressing the government, being jailed, and implementing marches, he did not except the status quo, but he seen a great future for this country. According to (McDonough, 2010) â€Å"Transformational leadership reevaluates organizational vision, values and mission. It renews a commitment to restructure systems to accomplish goals through building strong relationships couple with intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration.† I believe these characteristics are those that will allow me to become an effective leader. In my research, a term idealized influence came up this is a trait that is very important in leadership and one I would have to acquire and develop through experience. The traits includes having a strong ability to articulate visions and strategies to obtain goals, in addition, display confident and be optimistic in redirecting an organization into the future. I will surrounding myself with strong team players that  will embraces my visions and team methodology, more importantly always be able to see the big picture and look over the horizon for new ways to implement processes for quality services delivery. In summary, I understand the important of education, but more important recognizes my strengths and weakness as a leader and working to improve skills, also adopt a leadership style that fits my character, for this reason, leading should become a way of life and continual practices. Dr. King live to lead that’s what made him a great and accomplish leader that change this country. Reference Page Time Line of events of Dr. King (1994). Retrieved from http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs216.html McDonough, M. (2010, May). Characteristics of Transformational Leadership. The Hub for Bright Minds, (). Edwards, G (2011, January),Famous Examples of Different Leadership Styles. The Hub for Bright Minds.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Internet as Social Media Connectivity and Immediacy essayEssay Writing Service

The Internet as Social Media Connectivity and Immediacy essayEssay Writing Service The Internet as Social Media: Connectivity and Immediacy essay The Internet as Social Media: Connectivity and Immediacy essay  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Does the availability and use of social media on the Internet really provide businesses with new and different useful information?   Social media can be viewed as an effective tool to promote business. YouTube and other social media platforms provide massive opportunities for advertising campaigns, which help to attract more and more customers. However, social media may have negative impact on businesses as well, especially on business reputation. According to researchers, â€Å"with the web, opinions, facts, truth and lies can spread across the world as fast as a rumor or piece of gossip might have passed among the inhabitants of a small town 100 years ago† (Newson et al., 2009, p. 171).   The case of Dave Carroll, a young Canadian singer, who travelled with his band from Toronto Canada to Nebraska, and faced serious problems with his baggage, hurt the United Airline s reputation to a great extent. Dave Carrol used social media to inform others about the United Airlines customer service, and he succeeded. Careless baggage handlers managed to break Dave Carroll’s guitar which cost $3.500. United Airlines refused to reimburse Dave’s repair bill of $1.200. Dave Carroll’s song â€Å"United Breaks Guitars†, which was posted on YouTube in the form of a humorous video clip, had more than 3 million viewers within two weeks. According to research, â€Å"by mid-2011the YouTube clip had accumulated well over 10 million views†(Fritz, 2012, p. 53). Today people have an opportunity to share their problems with others via social media platforms. Many customers use social media to voice their disagreement with customer services, hurting the reputation of many highly acclaimed companies. So, the availability and use of social media really provide businesses with new and different useful information, including negative comments and critical review about products and services, which may hurt the company’s reputation.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To start with, social media platforms play an important role in business communication, proving massive opportunities for customers to share their opinions about products and services. Social networking sites, YouTube, Twitter, blogging and other types of social media creates a serious threat to business reputation. The term â€Å"social media† is used to â€Å"describe online tools and utilities that allow communication of information online and participation and collaboration† (Newson et al., 2009, p. 49). Today social media tools make it difficult for businesses to monitor online reputation. Customers use social media to tell online users about their dealing with this or that business organization. According to researchers, â€Å"these online communications can be anything from a few comments to even a full scale campaign agai nst a business†(Newson et al., 2009, p. 172). There are many examples of negative impact of social media on businesses. 40 % of the well-known marketing brands had negative commentaries or critical reviews of customers, based on the online monitoring survey (Newson et al., 2009, p. 172).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Besides the above mentioned facts, social media platforms influence competitiveness of businesses on the market. Many companies have established and implemented effective strategies to become â€Å"first movers in social media and developed insights as how consumers think and behave about their products and services†(Rajagopal, 2013, p. 127). Many companies face certain challenges caused by social media power regarding the sustainability of market competition. Many companies used negative commentaries of consumers about their competitors’ products and services to become more successful on the competitive market. Competition is influence d by social position of businesses. In other words, social status among business organizations reflects their social position on the market, measured by business relationships among business organizations. Social media platforms may shape the way that the company’s competitors may use to become more successful on the competitive market.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, negative word of mouth communication by means of social media platforms reduces sales rate. When consumers are not satisfied with some product or service, they have an opportunity to relieve their frustration, making efforts to convince others about the company’s failures (Beal Strauss, 2009). These consumers’ complaints about the quality of products and services may be crucial in the sales rate of businesses because consumers try to find other companies, more trustworthy and more competitive ones.   Many companies are concerned about the effects of the negative word of mouth communication because it can go global, influencing the overall productivity of the company on the market. The information on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other major social media sites requires the proper control and feedback (Fritz, 2012). Thus, some specific strategies and effective tactics are necessary to be focused on building business.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nevertheless, some experts argue that the use of social media does not have a strong impact on the company’s reputation and competitive advantage. The success of any company on the competitive market depends on the level of customers’ trust. There are many ways to obtain good reputation and keep it without effort, e.g. powerful advertising campaigns on TV, radio, print media, reduced prices, employee benefits, etc. Social media tools, such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and some other well-known platforms will fail to completely destroy the company’s values (Fritz, 2012; N ewson et al., 2009).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But despite these contradictions, social media may have a harmful impact with negative customer opinion regarding the company’s products or services, providing businesses with new and different useful information. Although many companies have developed their reputation management plans, which integrate the application of both offline and online procedures, social media platforms, like YouTube, create a serious threat to the company’s reputation. It would be better for any company that is criticized in the social media to give a prompt and adequate response (Rajagopal, 2013). Social media can teach a customer service lesson; therefore any company should be ready to respond adequately (Rajagopal, 2013).   Public relations should work with customer service department to ensure that the company is ready to give responses to consumers.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessa ry to conclude that the availability and use of social media on the Internet really provide businesses with new and different useful information. In many cases, this information is negative and has an adverse impact on the development of businesses. As a result, many companies have to develop and implement the proper strategies aimed at reducing the negative effects of the use of social media platforms by consumers. In many cases, consumers’ comments on blogs, YouTube video clips, and other negative comments about products or services are discussed by managers and the proper changes in strategic directions are made to address the issues of concern, e.g. poor customer services, low quality of products, etc.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

YEAH essays

YEAH essays Our world is made up of many nations that operate under different types of government. Different Countries, calls for a difference in the way it is operated. Whether it is through traditional influence or practice, they all make our world a wonderful, complete, and yet sometimes conflictive place to live. Great Britain has been, one of the world powers of today has been in existence for more than thousands of years. Their government structure has basically been a blue print of how many countries are building their government. One of the things that make Great Britain so unique from other countries is that, its government is the oldest operating political system in the world (pg. 44). Some of its institutions have been in continuous existence for nearly a thousand years. Through the history of Great Britain, the taste of victory has been plentiful. On the other hand, Germanys success in war only lasted a couple of decades. Great Britains history in war plays a big role in their existence because of its reputation as a world power. Its influence on many countries has lead to many treaties of alliances throughout the centuries. On the other hand, Germanys success reached as far as Europe and Japan. Why is this important? Well, a big part of a countrys existence is its trait in tradition. Traditionally, Great Britain has been a country of power, where the Monarchy reigns supreme while Germany was a country ruled and divided by many rulers. The history of Great Britain has sustained their ability to grow industrially, economically, and politically. Because of its politically stability, Great Britain has be ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Three Firms and its Marketing Opportunities Research Paper

Three Firms and its Marketing Opportunities - Research Paper Example Firms that take advantage of existing marketing opportunities give themselves an advantage and can grow its revenues appreciably. Firms can take advantage of existing marketing opportunities by making their relationships with existing clients deeper and therefore generate more business or expanding their footprint through mergers and acquisitions. This paper will review the marketing opportunities for three American firms namely Net App, Salesforce and Edward Jones. These have been chosen randomly from a list of American companies and also for their uniquely innovative services and existing marketing opportunities. Literature review Net App 1. This is currently the fifth largest data storage firm in the USA whose revenues increased by 33 percent in 2009 (â€Å"CNN Money†, 2011). Net App offers online storage solutions to companies and firms who have need for large volume storage of its data but does not want to invest in a data storage service of their own and so outsource sto rage to Net App. The increasing use of the internet and computers in business means there is always going to be a lot of data and information available that needs storage and management. With increased digitization for instance, people would be happy to have a scanned copy of their documents stored somewhere safe in a digital format for replacement in case of loss or damage or just renewal. Net App offers efficient, affordable and powerful stogie solutions for organizations. A marketing opportunity exists for them to tap in a bigger way into the domestic/ individual data storage and management solution and include offsite backup and restoration systems for clients. Almost every computer, portable or smart phone user knows very well the headache and costs of loosing personal data for instance losing a whole laptop with say all your project data and with no serious backup; it means purchasing a new laptop, software and starting the project all over again. People are relying more on da ta and information as economic drivers for enterprises and businesses, which poses its own new risks. Research and information indicate that firms that suffer computer outage for more than ten days never recover fully financially. Also half the businesses and organizations suffering such problems will be out of business within five years (Smith, 2003). This affects businesses greatly and costs a lot while individuals also suffer a lot of anguish due to lost data through theft, device failure, viruses attack, or human error. Starting and offering such a service in addition to its corporate data storage solutions would present a new and unique marketing and growth opportunity for Net App. The danger with this opportunity is that handling individuals is far more complex and may lead to a lowering of quality of service. 2. This marketing opportunity is a home run since it will involve the company starting a completely new product and business line. The new product line is likely to be a high capital intensity enterprise and it does not have the highest chances of failure (Samski, 2011). 3. The risk in undertaking this opportunity for Net App would be a large capital outlay and it would take time to develop, refine and promote. There is a chance consumers may not take it up as well as envisaged by Net App leading to losses. The opportunity is also risky in that it does not have the highest chance of succeeding. Management may not be comfortable with the risk and if not shared

Friday, November 1, 2019

Teaching and learning support (critical reflection from education in Essay

Teaching and learning support (critical reflection from education in action module) - Essay Example One of the key points was about recognizing that teaching is individual and how important is to reflect and maintain reflection as a tool for doing so as proposed by Biggs (1999). Every teacher has some kind of implicit theory of teaching (Marland 1997). From this perspective this module has provided a new sight to start with a reflection as a theory which proposed by Biggs (2003) that reflection is a theory of teaching to reflect with and context of experiences as the object of reflection seen in action learning paradigm. Different students with different abilities and personality types learn more with varying techniques. Students low in authoritarianism, low in tendency to dichotomize, low in the need for structure, and high in the ability to tolerate frustrations have been found to learn more when the Socratic questions and answer method is used while children of different reasoning skills learn more with the discovery and expository methods. The setting under which teaching and learning takes place has different effects on students with different aptitudes, personalities, and motivations. Those who are high in need affiliation prefer to work with others; those low in affiliation need prefer to work alone. A twin of interest is patience. The teacher’s multi-roles compounded by his exposure to various personalities in the classroom, in the school bureaucracy, and in the community demand his patience. As a teacher I should accept the fact that even while preparing for a teaching career that I must be patient not only with my pupils who is the easiest to bear with but also with my colleagues with whom I get can more knowledge regarding the performance and personality of my students. Through reflection I was able to identify the gaps of teaching and learning process in my teaching session for nursing student. Actually I had the opportunity to evaluate my experience in